Home Tune-Ups

You can do lots of little things around the house to keep your heating/cooling system running at peak efficiency. Make these steps part of your home routine twice a year.

Before you crank up the AC in warm weather or turn on the heat for the first time when it turns cold, have a qualified technician check your system to be sure it’s in good working order.

Remove the glass globes from your overhead lights and wash them in warm, soapy water. Dust and dirt that build up on the glass can dim the light that shines through them.

Vacuum or brush the dust from your refrigerator condenser coils underneath the bottom grille of the appliance. If your refrigerator doesn’t have a self-defrosting freezer, don’t allow the frost to build up more than one-quarter of an inch before you defrost it.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to drain the water from your water heater tank and remove sediment that builds up inside.

Plant vines on trellises to shade windows that get a lot of sun in the spring and summer.

Plant evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of the house to deflect winter winds.